The Nigeria Footbal Federation (NFF) has refuted claims that it had appointed the current Technical Director of the body Austin Eguavoen as the interim Nigeria coach.
The football body labeled the news that has since been making the rounds following the expiration of Jose Peseiro’s contract in February as ‘a joke taken too far’.
The 58-year-old who has been NFF’s Technical Director since 2020 played the same role in the interim after German handler Gernot Rohr sacked ahead of the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon where the Super Eagles crashed out in the round of 16, losing to Tunisia.
Nigeria coach? Eguavoen not even interim boss
There have been loads of stories regarding who can Peseiro as Nigeria coach, especially in the last week, with reports suggesting that the football federation has instructed Eguavoen to step in as the caretaker manager pending when a new deal is concluded or a new coach is found.
As expected, assisting Eguaveon will be Enyimba International coach, Finidi George, who was Peseiro’s assistant to the recently concluded AFCON in Ivory Coast.
The team is expected to play international friendlies in March and resume the qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup double-header against South Africa in June.
All that looked like a fair plan until a source at the NFF dismissed with a wave of the hand the purported new gaffer of the Super Eagles, adding that the former national team captain is not even being considered to take over on an interim basis.
“There’s nothing for Eguavoen as far as I know and in fact, nobody ever mentioned him in any capacity for the Super Eagles,” the source told The Nation Online.
“Those pushing Eguavoen forward for the job are jokers.”
A new Nigeria coach?
With Jose Peseiro leading the three-time AFCON Champions to a second-place finish in Ivory Coast and not getting his contract renewed at the end of the month, the Portuguese tactician announced his resignation last week.
Several names have been linked with the vacant position aside from Eguaveon.
Finidi George, who won the league with Enyimba and was part of the technical crew at the recently concluded AFCON had been mooted to take charge of the national team. Another worthy mention was former African Footballer of the Year and FIFA U-17 World Cup winner with the Golden Eaglets – Emmanuel Amuneke.
Former international and erstwhile coach of the team Samson SiaSia were also mentioned in the names that are likely to take over the vacant role.
The Nigerian Football Federation has yet to make a decision on who will be in charge of the team during the next International break later this month. With the friendly against Argentina botched, another round of friendlies organised in that window might propel the football body to make a quick announcement.
